Diuretic facts for kids

A diuretic is a special kind of substance. It can be found naturally in some herbs, like dandelions. Or, it can be made into a drug by scientists. Diuretics help your body get rid of extra water and salt. They do this by making you pee more often.

Diuretics are used to treat several health problems. For example, they can help people with heart failure or certain kidney issues. They also help with hypertension, which is high blood pressure. Some common drinks like tea and coffee also have a mild diuretic effect.

What Are Diuretics?

Diuretics are substances that make your body produce more urine. Think of them as helpers for your kidneys. Your kidneys are organs that filter your blood. They remove waste products and extra water. Diuretics make this filtering process work a bit faster. This helps to remove extra fluid from your body.

How Do Diuretics Work?

When you take a diuretic, it travels through your body to your kidneys. Once there, it tells your kidneys to let go of more water and salt. This extra water and salt then leaves your body as urine. It's like flushing out a little extra from your system. This process helps reduce swelling and lower blood pressure.

Why Are Diuretics Used?

Doctors use diuretics to help people with different health conditions.

• Heart Problems: If someone has heart failure, their heart might not pump blood as well as it should. This can cause fluid to build up in the body. Diuretics help remove this extra fluid. This makes it easier for the heart to do its job.
• High Blood Pressure: Hypertension means your blood pressure is too high. Diuretics can help lower blood pressure. They do this by reducing the amount of fluid in your blood vessels. Less fluid means less pressure.
• Kidney Issues: Sometimes, kidneys don't work perfectly. Diuretics can help them remove fluid when they are struggling.
• Swelling: If parts of your body, like your ankles, swell up due to too much fluid, diuretics can help reduce this swelling.

Natural Diuretics

Some things you might eat or drink every day have natural diuretic properties.

• Dandelions: This common plant is known to have natural diuretic effects. Some people use dandelion tea for this reason.
• Tea and Coffee: Drinks like tea and coffee contain caffeine. Caffeine is a mild diuretic. This is why you might feel the need to pee more after drinking them.
• Certain Foods: Some fruits and vegetables, like watermelon and cucumber, have a high water content. They can also help your body get rid of extra fluid.

See also

In Spanish: Diurético para niños